CHAPTER XV
HOW HE WON A WIFE
Three days passed, and they were much the same as before. Then, on asunshiny morning, the sheriff strolled back from the bar of the Fashionto glance into the dining-room, minded to seek another interview. Hettywas sitting by a window. Her face was red and streaked with tears. Shewas wiping her eyes with a handkerchief. He tiptoed out of the place.
At dinner Lafe was very brusque and stated his wants with sharpness.After the diners had departed: "It's a wonder"--pausing to strike amatch--"it's a wonder that there fine young feller of yours don't comeafter you. Why don't you write to him?"
"What fine fellow of mine?"
"That stoodent feller. If he thought such a heap about you, he ought forto show it. Ain't you written to him?"
"Shut up," said Hetty.
"No, but honest--"
"Do you think I could write to him after going away without a wordto--to marry a man I'd never set eyes on? You make me sick."
"I don't think much of him, anyhow," he said stubbornly.
"I guess he'll be able to live that down," said Hetty.
"Where does this here party live? A stoodent, you said he was?"
"Sure"--using her handkerchief again. "He's studying at a dental schoolin Chicago. Here's his address."
The sheriff did not question her further, but eyed the card sheproduced, for a long time. That afternoon he spent three sweating hoursover some sheets of blue, ruled paper, with very meager results. Herethey are:
_Mr. Abner Fish, Chicago, Ill._
DEAR SIR: I write to say there's a young lady here as seems to be in need of friends from home leastways she's powerful lonely now this here town ain't never had its teeth tended to right chief reason they never wash them I guess. Ha ha.
Say if you ain't laid out any plans better come ahead and start right in here to fix them good. You can come all the way by train except sixty miles by stage the going is good unless Sellers happens to get drunk and runs his mules over the rocks and I'll be pleased to meet you at the terminus, being as I am sheriff I enclose eighty dollars for expenses which is sort of coming to you from the town and you can pay it back when you make it. Well I'll cut this out now it is very hot here.
Yours respectfully,
LAFE JOHNSON.
P. S. The lady's name it is Miss Hetty Ferrier.
The letter mailed, Johnson took horse and crossed the Border intoSonora. He did not return for ten days and then went straight to hishouse. The Fashion saw him not. He ate at the Cowboys' Rest, but Hettyknew of his coming an hour after he rode down the street.
When three meals had been served and eaten without Lafe appearing, sheput on her hat and went boldly to his house. It was afternoon, andBadger lay in a still, dead torpor under a cruel sky.
"Well?" said Lafe, standing abashed on the threshold.
"Abner Fish is coming," she announced, and that was all she could say.
"Well, I swan. That's a right good thing. He can fix teeth pretty good,can't he?"
"Yes--no--that is--he says you sent for him. Oh, Lafe."
This was a vastly different woman from the one he had known. Hetty wouldnot look at him, but kept her gaze timidly on a knot in the door andtwiddled a ribbon flaring garishly from her waist.
"Pshaw!" said the sheriff, "it's most time Badger done woke up. Thedoggone rascals, they never take no care of their teeth. I've beenreading some about them things, Miss Ferrier, and it's most scandaloushow sick people'll get if they don't watch out for their teeth. Thisbook says--"
"Oh, Lafe."
"Do you mean to say you don't want him to come?" he asked. His hand,resting against the doorjamb, began to quiver and jerk.
"No-oo."
"God!"
Hetty was beginning to weep, which was a ridiculous thing to do underthe circumstances. The proceedings subsequent to this wholly reverentejaculation of Lafe's were too utterly idiotic for sober recital. Whenshe had calmed, they stood behind the door, safely out of sight, and thebosom and shoulder of the sheriff's shirt were moist.
"No, I can't," Miss Ferrier was saying, in the weakest voice imaginable."Everybody knows what a fool I was to come out here to Jackson, andthey'll laugh at you. I couldn't bear that, Lafe."
"Now, that'd be horrible, wouldn't it?" he said. Then, very quietly: "Ireckon I can take care of my wife, Hetty."